I Gave My Sneakers to the School Janitor After Noticing His Were Worn Through – The Next Morning, the Principal Summoned Me to His Office Over the Intercom

and which kids pretended not to be hungry near the cafeteria.

He was 63, maybe older, with gray hair clipped close and hands that always looked like they had been working since before sunrise.

Those hands fixed everything.

He was 63, maybe older.

Loose locker handles.

Broken desk legs.

A zipper on a kid’s backpack.

Once, I saw him kneel in the hallway and continue reading …